Symptom-to-Balloon Time is a Strong Predictor of Adverse Events Following Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Results From the Australian Capital Territory PCI Registry.

Background: Notwithstanding improvements in door-to-balloon time, adverse event rates after primary PCI have remained steady. We analysed the effect of symptom-to-balloon (STB) time, a reflection of total ischaemic time, on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and explored predictors of prolonged STB time.

Methods: The study population included 1002 consecutive patients (22.

Efficacy of non-compliant balloon post-dilation in optimization of contemporary stents: A digital stent enhancement study.

Background: There is no evidence from randomized trials for the benefit of routine non-compliant balloon (NCB) post-dilation after stent deployment. Despite being the gold standard, intravascular ultrasound is infrequently performed due to time and cost constraints and a suitable alternative technology is required for routine assessment of stent expansion. The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of NCB post-dilation in optimizing contemporary stents by using digital stent enhancement (DSE).

Prehydration alone is sufficient to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy after day-only angiography procedures--a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Contrast agents used in angiography procedures for patients with cardiovascular disease are known to cause contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), which may be partially due to the production of nephrotoxic oxygen-free radicals. It is uncertain whether administration of intravenous (IV) anti-oxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), can prevent reduction in renal function and whether this is a cost-effective approach.

Methods: Sixty-five day-only patients with renal impairment (mean serum creatinine concentration 0.